Transfer apparatus



April 18, 1944. R, E. scHURTZ- ETAL. 2,346,875 TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed April 18, 1941- 5 Sheets-Sheet 1V April 18 1944- R. E. scHuR-rz Erm. 2,346,875

TRANSFER APPARATUS l Filed April 18. 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jia/t9.

prl 18, 19 f R. E. scHuRTZ ETAL TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed April' 18. 1941 s sheets-sheet 3 foi' Patented Apr. 18, 1944 TRANSFER APPARATUS Ralph E. Schurtz, Kansas City, Mo., and Joseph N. Roth, Belding, Mich., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Gibson Refrigerator Company, Greenville, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application April 1s, 1941, serial No. 389,248 l fol. 137-68) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to transfer apparatus, and more particularly to an improved transfer chamber and valve arrangement, together with actuating means therefor, for controlling transfer action in a continuous absorption refrigeration system wherein transfer of rich liquor from the absorber to the still is effected through an intermediate chamber.

One feature of this invention is that it pro vides improved transfer apparatus for electing flow of liquid from a low pressure portion to a high pressure portion of an absorption refrigeration system; another feature of this invention is that the transfer chamber and ow control Valve unit cooperate in an improved manner; another feature of this invention is the provision of improved mechanism for actuating a valve element by movement of a float, this actuating mechanism including motion reducing and snap acting mechanism, and means for preventing any side component of motion of the float; still a further feature of this invention is that means is provided in connection with the actuating linkage for adjusting positions of the movable valve element; yet another feature is the provision of concentric now openings at the top of the transfer chamber; other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following specification and the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing our invention embodied in a continuous absorption commercial refrigeration system; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the valve unit and transfer chamber; Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View of the part shown in Figure 2, with the float in upper position; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but with the float in lower position and the actuating mechanism and movable valve element accordingly displaced;` and Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view along the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

While the arrangement particularly illustrated and described in this application is adaptable to a number of different uses and systemsyit hasY been designed for and is particularly advantageous in connection with a continuous abf sorption refrigeration system of the type operating at two pressures and using an intermediate transfer chamber to return rich liquor from the absorber to the still, one form of such a system being shown schematically in Figure 1. In order to better understand the operation and advantages of the transfer 'arrangement the entire `reyfrigeration system will first be briefly described;

It is to be understood that the present applica-l tion is directed primarily to the features of improved location and association 'of the transfer chamber and valve unit, of improved actuating mechanism for moving themovable element of the valve unit by movement of a iioat in the chamber, and to an improved arrangement of W path openings at the topv of the transfer chamber. Other features and improvements in the refrigeration system disclosed herewith, and in the mechanical structure of the various parts, are more particularly disclosed andA claimed in other copending applications. both joint and sole, which we have heretofore filed, and in applica-` tions now being prepared. Our earlier iiledcopending applications are Serial No. 296,995, filed September 28, 1939; Serial No. 298,110, led October 5, 1939;` Serial No. 314,704, led January 19, 1940; Serial No. 319,541, filed February 17, 1940; Serial No. 326,292, filed March 27, 1940; Serial No. 352,328, led August 12, 1940; ySerial No. 361,629, filed octoberv 17, 1940;.seria1 No.

369,876, led December 12, 1940; and 382,420, led Marchy, 1941.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1 of this present application, a'still l0 is adapted `Serial No.

to contain a mixture of refrigerant andabsorbent, asl ammonia and water, and is heated by any convenient means, as the burner Il, supplied with fuel through the conduit I2. Flow of fuel through this conduit is controlled by a safety device, here merely indicated schemati` cally by the rectangle identified as 12a, which is fully described and claimed in one of the above-identified applications. Refrigerant vapor generated within the still I0 passes up the pipe I3, through a water-cooled rectifier Ill, to a water-cooled condenser I5. The condensed refrigerant vapor leaves the condenser through the pipe I6 and passes up to 4a receiver l1 where an expansion Valve, here illustrated as of the oat-actuated type, controls Athe admission of refrigerant at greatly reduced pressure to the evaporator or cooling coils I8. These coils may vbe located in a large refrigeration chamber, in a store'show case, or in any other desired place. The expanded refrigerantvapor leaves the evaporator through a check valve' I9 and bubbles out into weak liquor in the absorber 20 through appropriate openings inthe annularly arranged pipe 2|. Cooling water ladmitted through the pipe 22 passes through the `condenser I 5, through cooling c'oi1s23 in the absorber, and through the rectliier l4to its dis-f charge line 24.

In order to keep the proper quantities and concentrations of liquor in various :parts of the system it is necessary to provide a flow circuit between the absorber and the still, to deliver weak liquor to the absorber and periodically return rich liquor to the still. Since movement of liquid from the still to the absorber is from a high pressure lportion to a low pressure portion of the system, vit presents no diii'iculties. This movement is here shown as effected by passing weak liquor out of the still through the pipe 2'5, passing in coils 25a through` a heat exchanger 26, and then up through a continuation of the pipe to a weak liquorV control valve 21. Whenever this valve is-open, weak liquor driven by the high pressure in the still passes up the pipe 25, through this valve 21, and through the pipe 28 into the open pan 28a located in the top of the absorber 26. Any excess of liquor in this pan overflows into the main body of liquor in the absorber and, keeps it at the desired level., Actuation ofthe valve 21 to effect movementof weak liquor from the still to the absorber, and indirectly-to effect return of rich liquor from the absorberto the still, is accomplished by pressure delivered through liquid in the pipe -29 from a thermostat bulb 30 located in the still. Pressure in the liquid actuating leg 29 ,is v effective upon a bellows in the valve 21 to accomplish vdesired movement of the valve member therein. This general arrangement for contrormovementofA weak liquor is known to the-art, and ywill therefore not be more fully described. y

The flow Ipath for Vrich liquor moving from the absorber tothe still is somewhatmore complex. `When'ithe level ofy liquid in the absorber has risen, because of the inflow of weak liquor, until it reaches the Vtop of .the pipe 3| (its junction with the riser) it drains down past the check valve 32, through another valve assembly,

' here identified in general as 33, .and into the transfer chamber 35. A floatSB inthe transfer chamber operates through snap acting mechanism located l:the bottom of the transfer chamber` `(more fullyjdescribed hereafter) to actuate the `rod 31 to move the valve piston or plunger within the valve assembly 33.Y This valve as sembly 33 comprises a valve cylinder 50 having ports in its walls and a plunger or piston 5| movable therein to control ow paths completed through the: ports. The specific arrangement ofthe valve partsis `*fullydescribed in one of the above identiedcopending applications directed particularly thereto, and will not be repeated here.

rlhe valve piston vh as two positions in the cylinder in which, it is movable, the snap action mechanism always ensuring that thervalve as-Y sumes one of such two positions. In one of these positionspipe 3| opens into thetransfer chamber, as Abefore mentioned, to permit flow of liquid from the absorber to the transfer chamber; and gasin the transfer chamber is vented through the pipe `38 to a ring in the pan 28a whence it bubbles out into the absorber 20. When the transfer chamber has lled practically to the top with liquid the upward movement of the float 35 vfinally throws the snap action mechanism to the position shown in the drawings, whereupon the valve piston in the valve assembly 33 moves to `its other or lower position under the influence of the rod v 31. VIn this lower position pipe 39, leading from the bottom of the transfer chamber, is connected throughthe valve unit to `pipe 40, whence it flows through the heat exchanger 26 and through the pipe 4| into the still I0. It will be noted that in entering the still it passes around and in heat exchange relationship with the thermostat bulb 30, a feature more fully described and claimed in one of the above-identified applications. In order to equalize the vapor pressure in the transfer chamber with that in the still so that liquid will move from the transfer chamber to the still, a highpressure vapor connection is provided by the pipe 42. rihis pipe passes through the body of liquid in the absorber and opens, through the valve assembly 33, into the top of the transfer chamber 35. IThe pipes 39 and dil :provide a syphon action to drain the liquid from the transfer chamber, as is more fully described and claimed in one of the above-mentioned applications; and when the level of liquid in the chamber has dropped until the chamber is about two-thirds empty, the downward movement of the iioat nally causes the snap action mechanism to act through the rod 31 to move the valve piston in the VValve assembly 33 to its upper position, whereupon the -transfer chamber is again placed in communication with the absorber. As soon as the system is in a condition making another transfer action preferable, opening of the valve 21 results in a repetition of the cycle of operations just described.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that a system is provided which continually boils off refrigerant vapor in the still l0, condenses it, and admits it at -greatly -reduced pressure to `the evaporator or cooling coils I8 to produce the desired refrigerating effect. The rate of generation of vapor, and thus of refrigeration, can be controlled by control of the iiow Aof fuel to the Vburner I. Boiling down of the concentration of liquor in the still to an undesirably low value, and raising of the concentration of liquor in the absorber to too high a value, is prevented by provision for transfer of weak liquor from the still .to the absorber and of rich liquor from the absorber, through the transfer chamber, back to the still.

As has been heretofore said, all of the novel features and improvements in a continuous absorption refrigeration system not here specifically claimed are the subject matter of other already led applications, or applications now being prepared, so that attention will now be turned specifically to the construction and operation of the transfer chamber and valve unit, and the actuating mechanism therefor.

Turning now more particularly to Figures 2 to '5, the transfer apparatus .and the ,features thereof to which this application is directed will be described in more detail. As may be'best seen in Figure 3 or Figure 4, the transfer chamber proper is substantially a 'vertically positioned cylinder with an enlarged lower end portion to provide mounting room for various parts of the connectingand actuating linkage. The valve unit is mounted directly on the top of the transfer chamber 35 with the valve cylinder vertical and having its lower end Vopening directly, through the passageway 52,'into the 'top ofthe transfer chamber. This is a very convenient and desirable com-bination of the parts fo-r two reasons, the first bein-g that it enables the valve plunger 5| to be actuated directly through the open lower end of the'cylinder bythe rod 31, and the secondbeing that when the valve is in upper position, as vshown iniigure 4,`uncovering of ailow port in the wall of the cylinder (not shown) results in flow of liquid from the absorber down into the transfer chamber through this same central passageway 52. y

The other-flow passageway from the valve unit to the top of the transfer chamber opens into the chamber through the annular passageway 53, this passageway being concentric with the passageway 52 and surrounding it. It will be understood that when these passageways are spoken of as opening into the top of the transfer chamber it is not meant that flow in these paths is always into the chamber, but merely that one end of such flow paths terminates in or is connected to the top of the transfer chamber 35. In fact, in the particular arrangement here disclosed refrigerant vapor or gas in the transfer chamber is moving out through the annular opening 53 and the connecting passageway 54 while liquid from the absorber is flowing in through the center passageway 52 when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 4. This concentric arrangement of flow path openings is particularly advantageous 'in that there is no interference between incoming liquid and outgoing gas orvapor, despite the compactness of the arrangement.

Referring next to the linkage connecting the float 36 to the valve plunger 5I for actuation of this latter element at desired times, it will be seen that this linka-ge contains motion-reducing, snap action and adjusting means, and that it is so arranged that there is no side component of motion of the float 36 during its actuating movement. It will be seen that the center of the float 36 is provided with an opening through which the rod 31 passes, the iioat being a close but freely sliding t about this rod and within the side walls of the cylindrical portion of the transfer chamber.

Depending from the bottom of the oat 36 are two spaced parallel rod members 55 and 56, these members being rigidly attached to the float so as to move up and down vertically with it. A member 51 is pivotally mounted at one end at 58, the other end of the member presenting an arcuate surface or portion 59. The center or radius of this arcuate portion coincides with the center 58 of pivotal movement of the member; and the member is of such a length and so mounted that the rod members 55 and 56 are tangent to this arcuate portion, at one end when the member 51 is in its upper position as shown in Figure 3, and tangent to the other end when the member is in its lower position as shown in Figure 4. While the arcuate surface is spoken of as one surface, it is in reality two similar arcuate surfaces, one cooperating with and being adjacent each of the depending rod members 55 and 56. Connection is made between the rod members and the member 51 by flexible elements, such as steel tapes, the arrangement being such that the tape '60, for example, is connected at its lower end to the bottom of the rod member 55, and at its upper end to the upper end of one arcuate portion of the member 51. It will be apparent that when the float is in its upper position, as shown in Figure 3, the principal part of this flexible tape r6l) lies along the arcuate portion, and that as the float moves downward the force tending to move the member 51 is always directly vertical clear through to the point where this member is at the bottom of its motion, as shown in Figure 4. Downward force on the member 51 is thus exerted through the tape 60; while another tape, connected at its upper end to the upper portion of the rod member 56 and at its lower end to the bottom of the other arcuate portion of the member 51, is effective to cause upward movement-of this member uponqupward movement of this float as a result of filling of the chamber with liquid. y

In either direction of movement of the float, therefore, its vertical movement is translated into reciprocatory or oscillatoryv movement lof the member 51-without any side component of for-ce being exerted on the float which might tend to cause it to bind against the walls of the chamber.

Another member 6l is pivotally-mounted atBZ, the members 6l and 51 extending toward each other and being in reality yokes or pairs of similar arms, it being noted that the member 51 has its two arm portions extending outside of those of the member 6 I. The actuating rod 31 is pivotally connected at 63 to the member 6I, so that movement of this member effects movement of the rod and thus of the valve plunger; and the end of the member 6I furthest to the left (speaking with respect to its position. in the drawings) is connected to a stop element 64 guided by the rod 65 slideably received in the abutment members 66 and 61. Resilient buffer elements, such as neoprene washers 68 and 69, areinterposed between the element 64 and the abutment members 66 and 61, so that noise and shock are eliminated when movement of the lever member 6I is stopped by contact of the element 64 withl one of the abutment members. The distance of movement .of the lever member 6 I, and its terminal position at each end of such movement, can be adjusted by movement of the abutment members 66 and 61 with respect to the bracket 10 into which they are threaded.

Since the lever member 6I is directly connected, through the rod 31, to the valve plunger 5|, this furnishes a convenient means for adjusting the position and movement of the valve plunger, after the mechanism has been assembled, from the lower end of the transfer chamber. In order to facilitate such adjustment the lower end of the transfer chamber is closed by a casting 1| bolted or otherwise sealed to the bottom of the shell of the chamber. All of the parts of the connecting linkage can be removed with this casting, since they are al1 mounted thereon.

Connection between the lever members 51 and 6| is effected through spring means so arranged as to provide a snap action. That is, the member 6I can never stand in an intermediate position, but is always either as far up or as far down as the stop adjustments will permit. The spring connection includes a cup or cap element 12 pivotally mounted on the member 51 about the axis 13, and a similar element 14 pivotally mounted on the member 6l for movement about the axis 15. A rod element 16 is slideably mounted Ito provide means for maintaining the elements 12 and 14 in alignment, and a spring 11 is in compression between these elements. It will be noted that the position of the axes 13 and 15 is such that they will be quite close together when the members 51 and 6l are parallel. This means that as the member 51 moves down with downward movement of the float, the spring 11 is put under more and more compression until the point 13 nally gets below the plane 0f the point 15, whereupon the force of the spring urges the member 6I up to the position shown in Figure 4.

We have also found that it is highly desirable to provide a considerable motion reducing ratio, at least ten to one in the linkage connecting the float to the valve plunger. In the particular embodiment of our invention illustrated herewith the ratio is about sixteen to one, so that the float moves down about four inches to effect a quarter inch movement of the valve plunger. This large motion-reducing ratio enables the use of power ful and positive snap action mechanism while still enabling the float to readily follow the liquid level in the chamber. y

While we have shown and described certain embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

We claim:

l.. Apparatus of the character described for actuating a movable element by the movement of a float, including: a pivoted member having an arcuate portion with its center at the point of pivotal mounting; a rod member depending vertically from the float and being substantially tangent to said arcuate portion; a flexible connection between one end of said arcuate portion and the lower end of said rod member; and a connection between the iioat and the other end of said arcuate portion,. at least a portion of this last mentioned connection also eing nexifble..

2. Transfer apparatus of the characterl described for a continuous absorption refrigeration system, including: a substantially cylindricalvertically positioned transfer chamber; a float vertically movable in said chamber; a member beneath the float pivoted about a horizontal axis. said member having an arcuate portion with its center at the point of pivotal mounting; a rod member depending vertically from the oat and being substantially tangent to said arcuate portion; a flexible connection between one end of said arcuate portion and the lower end of said rod member; and a connection between the iloat and the other end of said arcuate portion, at least a portion of this last mentioned connection also being flexible, whereby movement of the float is transmitted to said pivoted member without any tendency to cause side movement of said float.

3. Transfer apparatus of the character described for returning liquid from the low pressure side to the high pressure side of a refrigeration system, including: a transfer chamber; Valve means for controlling fluid ilow paths opening into the chambensaid means being locateddirectly above the chamber; means for actuating the Valve means, including a float in the chamber and linkage connecting the float to the valve means; and adjustable means for limiting the movement of a part of the linkage, this adjustable means comprising cushioning bumpers against which a part of the linkage strikes at the limits of its movement.

RALPH E. SCHURTZ. JOSEPH N. ROTH. 

